One piece molded awning



Jan. 9, A. G. HUPP ONE PIECE MOLDED AWNING Filed Aug. 11, 1958 .Zrz- 3 Ar/e/gh G. Hupp United States Patent 3,015,861 ONE PIECE MOLDED AWNING Arleigh' G. Hupp, R0. 3290, North Highway 301, Sarasota, Fla. Filed Aug. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 754,359 7 Claims. (Cl. 2057.5)

The present invention relates generally to an awning structure. 'More particularly, the present invention concerns a new and improved method and apparatus for cooling an awning structure mounted over a window on a building to prevent the travel of heated air through the open window into the building and for controlling the drainage of rain water.

An important object of the present invention relates to the provision of a low cost ventilated awning structure.

To the end of providing a low cost ventilated awning structure the instant awning is manufactured from a single piece of molded material such as synthetic plastic and the like. Still further, the awning is also provided with ventilation means by which a convection current of air will continuously cool the awning and remove the heated air underneath the awning through ports or openings at the rear of the awning and thereby prevent the heated air underneath the awning from flowing directly into the upper par-t of an open window provided in a building wall.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means on the awning for controlling the flow of rain water, which means provides an eflective way to keep water from entering windows during a rain storm.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide a ventilated awning structure having a clean cut aesthetic appearance whereby the upper surface or roof area and the side areas are substantially unbroken in contour.

According to still more specific features of the present invention, there is provided a method of cooling an awning structure including the steps of heating the top surface area of the awning with the heat passing through the awning to the underneath surface area of the awning thereby heating the air under the awning, controlling the flow of an air stream resulting from the cooling of the underneath According to still other specific features of the present invention the awning is provided with a stepped area including generally horizontal and vertical stepped areas with the vertical step area having air ports and with the stepped area being disposed generally at the rear edge of the inclined roof of the awning whereby air may be heated as it moves underneath the awning by the roof area and allowed to move rearwardly and vertically upwardly through the air ports at the rear of the awning to cool the awning structure.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front isometric view of my awning structure according to the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear isometric view of the awning shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a window structure including a building wall and with the awning shown mounted on the wall over the window structure, the awning being shown in cross-section as taken on the lines IIIIII of FIGURE 2.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates geenrally an awning or sun and water shade which is preferably comprised of a single piece of molded material such as synthetic plastic and the like.

The awning 10 is preferably generally scoop-shaped and includes a roof or roof area 11 which is inclined rearwardly and vertically upwardly. The awning 10 also includes transversely spaced sidewall areas 12 and 13 which are joined together at the transverse edges of the roof area 11. The awning has a downwardly turned front area disposed at the front edge of the roof area 11. Disposed at the rear edge of the inclined roof area 11 is a stepped area 15 including horizontal and vertical step areas 16 and 17. The vertical step area is connected directly to the roof area 11 and a series of transversely spaced ports or openings 18 are disposed along the transverse width of the step area 17. In this connection it will be noted that the stepped area 15 including the step areas 16 and 17 are coextensive in width with the roof area 11.

The awning is provided with a U-shaped edge 19 or U-shaped side edge 20. The edge 19 as well as the side edge 20 include portions of the sidewall areas 12 and 13 as well as portions of the step area 16. These edges 19 and 20 together comprise generally a surface area which may be attached in any suitable fashion to a building wall which is indicated generally at 21 in FIGURE 3. As shown, however, holes 22a are extended through the side edges 20. V

A Window opening is indicated generally at 22 in FIG- URE 3 and within the opening 22 is mounted a diagrammatically illustrated window structure 23. As illustrated, the window structure 23 includes vertically movable sashes 23a23a which are mounted within grooved areas indicated at 23b-23b. As illustrated, the window sashes 23a--23a are shown in an open position.

Fasteners or screws 24 have been provided to attach the awning to the wall 21 in a manner whereby the side edge area 20 is telescoped internally of the window opening 22 in the wall 21.

The stepped area 15 is preferably disposed above the window opening 22 in order to prevent heated air from flowing into the house through the opening at the top of the window when the window sashes 23a23a are lowered as is shown.

When the awning structure 10 is heated from sunlight and the like the heat is transmitted from the top surface of the roof area 11 to the bottom surface of the roof area 11 whereby the air immediately under the underneath or bottom surface of the room area 11 is also heated. Since the roof area is inclined in a vertically upwardly and rearwardly direction and further since the openings or ports 18 have been provided at the uppermost end of the roof area 11 a convection air current will be created as indicated by arrows 25 in FIGURE 3. It will be appreciated that since heated air has a tendency to rise the 'heated air will be permitted to move along the vertically upwardly and rearwardly inclined roof area 11 and allowed to pass through the openings or ports 18 away from the awning structure 10.

The stepped area 15 including steps 16 and 17 as well as the building wall 21 define a rain water trough area 26. During a rain storm water will have a tendency to strike the building wall 21 and such water will either be deflected through the ports 18 in the trough 26 or else the water will flow transversely of the awning and fall to the ground after passing over the side areas 12 and 13. The water will be prevented from passing into the area of the window since the fasteners operate to sustain the awning in sealed engagement upon the building wall 21.

By disposing the stepped area 15 as well as the ports 18 at the rear of the awning 10 and below the uppermost area of the inclined roof area 11, the stepped area 15 and the openings 18 may be substantially concealed. In view of the foregoing it will be noted that the ventilation means as well as the rain water control means are not generally visible when the awning is installed upon a house and therefore the clean cut aesthetic appearance of the awm'ng including the upper roof surface area and the side surface areas remain substantially undisturbed. It may also be noted that the means for providing ventilation and rain water drainage in a molded awning is literally nearly cost free in the production of the awning.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eifected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a window structure including a building wall having a window opening, an awning having spaced side Wall areas and a vertically inclined roof area joining the spaced side wall areas at its opposite roof edges, the awning having a stepped area joined with the inclined roof area below a rear edge of the roof area with the stepped area being disposed above the window opening, the stepped area including generally horizontal and vertical step areas and the vertical step area having air ports whereby air may be heated as it moves reaiwardly and vertically upwardly along an underside of the inclined roof area through the air ports to cool the awning structure, the awning having a surface area defined by portions of the side wall areas and the horizontal step area for abutment against the building wall about the window opening, and means between the building wall and the surface area sustaining the awning on the wall.

2. As an article of manufacture, an awning comprised of a molded material, the awning having spaced side wall areas and a vertically inclined roof area joining the spaced side wall areas at its opposite roof edges, the awning having a stepped area joined with the inclined roof area at its rearmost edge and positioned below the rearmost edge of the roof, the stepped area including generally horizontal and vertical step areas and with the vertical step area having air and rain ports disposed below the rear edge of the roof and sheltered by the inclined roof whereby as air is heated the heated air is guided by the inclined roof area as it moves rearwardly and vertically upwardly through the air ports to cool the awning structure, the stepped area when mounted on a building wall cooperating with the wall in providing a trough for transporting rain to opposite sides of the awning, the ports providing means permitting rain driven against the wall to be deflected through the ports at an area remote to a window covered by the awning to prevent driven rain from entering the window from the ports.

3. As an article of manufacture, a one-piece scoop shaped awning comprised of synthetic plastic and the like, the awning including an inclined roof and a stepped area connected to and disposed below a rear edge of the roof, and vent areas spaced along the length of a vertical step of the stepped area to permit a hot air stream to flow from under the inclined roof through the vent areas and with the vent areas being sheltered by the inclined roof to prevent rain from being driven through the vent areas against a window covered by the awning, the vertical step being joined with the rear edge of said roof at its upper end.

4. As an article of manufacture, an awning including spaced side wall areas and a vertically inclined roof area joining the spaced side wall areas at its opposite roof edges, the awning having a stepped area joined with the inclinedroof area at a rear edge of the awning, the stepped area including generally horizontal and vertical step areas,

the vertical step area being joined with a rear edge of the inclined roof area and extending downwardly therefrom, the horizontal step area extending rearwardly of the vertical step area with the side wall areas extending rearwardly beyond the vertical step area and joined with the horizontal step area and the vertical step area having transversely spaced air and rain ports disposed between the rear edge and the horizontal step area.

5. In a window structure including a building wall having a window opening, an awning having spaced side wall areas and a vertically inclined roof area joining the spaced side wall areas at its opposite roof edges, the awning having a stepped area joined with the inclined roof area below a rear edge of the roof area with the stepped area being disposed above the window opening, the stepped I area including generally "horizontal and vertical step areas and the vertical step area having air ports whereby air may be heated as it moves rearwardly and vertically upwardly along an underside of the inclined roof area through the air ports to cool the awning structure, the awning having a surface area defined by portions of the side wall areas and the horizontal step area for abutment against the building wall about the window opening, and means between the building wall and the surface area sustaining the awning on the wall, the awning being comprised of a one-piece molded material and by the stepped area being cooperable with the building wall providing a trough for discharging water at the side of the awning.

6. In a window structure including a building wall having a window opening, an awning having spaced side wall areas and a vertically upwardly and rearwardly inclined roof area joining the spaced side wall areas at its opposite roof edges, the awning having a stepped area joined with the inclined roof area at a rear edge of the inclined roof area with the stepped area being disposed above the window opening, the awning having an awning surface area for abutment against the building wall about the window opening, fastener means cooperable with the surface area sustaining the awning on the wall, and the stepped area including generally horizontal and vertical step areas and the vertical step area having ports providing means whereby rain water which strikes the building wall may be deflected through the ports onto the ground below, the horizontal and vertical step areas providing means extending transversely of the awning and the window for cooperating with the wall in defining a trough for rain water to be carried to the sides of the awning,

' the vertical step area bearing the ports being disposed below the upper rear edge of the vertically upwardly and rearwardly inclined roof area whereby the ports are substantially concealed from view.

7. As an article of manufacture, an awning comprised of synthetic plastic and the like, the awning including an inclined roof presenting an unbroken water impervious surface and a stepped area connected to and disposed below a rear edge of the roof, and vent areas spaced along the length of a vertical step of the stepped area, the vertical step being joined with the rear edge of said roof at its upper end.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,121,264 Rubottom June 21, 1938 2,253,353 Sharp Aug. 19, 1941 2,264,014 Wohlfield Nov. 25, 1941 2,533,846 Stone Dec. 12, 1950 2,627,309 Dugan Feb. 3, 1953 2,647,292 Ruggles Aug. 4, 1953 

